A direct flight between Shanghai and Istanbul of Turkiye will be launched starting Sept 28 by China Eastern Airlines, it will be the first of its kind between the two cities operated by a Chinese airliner, the Shanghai-based carrier said on Friday.

The flight will be carried out between Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Istanbul Airport every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (local time).

Situated on both sides of the Bosphorus Strait that divides Asia and Europe, Istanbul is the only city in the world that sits across the two continents.

Along with the steady recovery of China's civil aviation this year, China Eastern has been actively improving its international network, and the decision to launch the direct Shanghai-Istanbul flight also aims to better serve the Belt and Road initiative.